Incremental deployment of a buoy or buoy network

ABSTRACT

A mooring system including a plurality of connected floats and weights being positively buoyant on a water surface and being negatively buoyant at a depth below the water surface. The mooring system also includes a trigger mechanism arranged to reduce the buoyancy of a portion of the connected floats and weights from a being positively buoyant to negatively buoyant to cause the portion of the connected floats and weights to sink below the water surface where the trigger mechanism changes the buoyance of the portion of the connected floats and weights by either adding a weight to one end or separating the end from a buoyant element.

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.16/238,814, filed on Jan. 3, 2019, which claims priority to and thebenefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/613,291, filed onJan. 3, 2018, and entitled “Incremental Deployment of a Buoy and/or BuoyNetwork.” The entire contents of the above-referenced applications areincorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

A buoy is a device configured to float within a body of water such as anocean. A buoy can perform various objectives including functioning as asea mark, lifebuoy, a submarine communications buoy, a DAN buoy,navigational buoy, Sonobuoy, surface marker buoy, decompression buoy,shot buoy, weather buoy, Tsunami buoy, wave buoy, and so on. A buoy canbe anchored (tethered) or allowed to drift within a body of water.Various techniques are known for deploying buoys. However, there is aneed for enabling more efficient, timely, and less costly deployment ofbuoys.

SUMMARY

Systems and methods are disclosed herein for more efficiently deployingone or more buoys. In one aspect, a buoy is arranged in multiplesections or modules that are connectable to one or more other modules ofa buoy. The sections and/or modules may be configured and/or sized(and/or weighted) so as to enable a delivery vehicle, such as anunmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to carry each section to a destinationlocation for assembly of the buoy at the destination location. Othertypes of delivery vehicles or device may be used such as, withoutlimitation, a land-based vehicle (e.g., an autonomous automobile orrobot) or a marine based vehicle (e.g., a AUV). In the instance of awater-based buoy, the delivery device may include multiple mode ofmovement including a combination of two or more of land, water, and airmobility features or propulsion systems. In this way, a buoy may berapidly deployed at a relatively long distance over a body of water (orover a body of land, or both) by delivering and assembling varioussections, modules, and components at a desired location. A buoy may beassembled to include a vehicle tether such as a platform to enable aUAV, drone, or other aerial vehicle to land on the buoy. The buoy mayinclude a power generator and/or energy store to power functions of thebuoy. The buoy may also include a power interface configured to providepower to an UAV, drone, aerial vehicle, or water-born vehicle (e.g., aboat, underwater vehicle (e.g., AUV), unmanned surface vehicle (USV),and so on). Hence, in certain implementations, a network of buoys mayincrementally propagate from one or more previously deployed buoys. Forinstance, once one buoy is deployed and assembled, and operational, thenone or more UAVs will be able to land and recharge (or refuel) at thebuoy. Parts, modules, and/or sections for additional buoys may be storedby the first buoy. Hence, a recharged UAV may delivery parts to a newlocation for assembly of a new buoy, and so on, enabling thepropagations of buoys throughout a region or area of ocean and/or land.

In certain aspects, assembly of a buoy is performed autonomously by oneor more UAVs. In some implementations, one or more modules areconfigured to sense and/or detect the presence of another module andperform an attachment and/or engagement to the one or more othermodules. In some implementations, an assembly robot, vehicle, or systemmay be positioned at a designated location for a buoy and assemble thebuoy as modules are delivered by one or more UAVs. This wouldadvantageously reduce the power consumption of the assembly vehicle byeliminating or reducing a need for the vehicle to carry buoy components.

In some implementations, a buoy includes a mooring system having atethering line and mooring element, weight, and/or anchor element. Thetethering line may be delivered to a buoy in one or more sections. Thetethering line may be configured to include one or more buoyancyelements. Each buoyancy element may be configured to become negativelybuoyant at a designated depth within a body of water such as sea wateror fresh water. In one implementation, a buoyancy element includes abladder configured to collapse at a particular depth within ocean water.As the bladder collapses, the density of the bladder increases, causingthe bladder to become negatively buoyant and, thereby, causing thebladder along with adjacent elements along a tethering line to sink aswell. By including a series of bladders spaced along a tethering line, arelatively light weight and buoyant tethering line may be staged on theocean surface next to a buoy. One or more sections of the tethering linemay be delivered to the buoy by an UAV Other delivery devices may beutilized such as an AUV, underwater drone, surface water vehicle, USV,and/or surface water drone. Once the tethering line is connected to andstaged next to a buoy, a mooring element (e.g., a weight or anchor) maybe attached to the free end of the tethering line. Once attached, themooring element or weight (being negatively buoyant) begins to sink andpull the tethering line downward and, thereby, pull an adjacent bladderdownward until the adjacent bladder collapses to become negativelybuoyant which, in turn, pulls the tethering line further downward untilthe next bladder reaches a depth to which it collapses, and so on, untilthe tethering line and mooring weight sink to the ocean floor. Such amooring system advantageously enables delivery of a relatively lightweight tethering system via one or more UAVs, having relatively limitedlift capacity, to a buoy, while enabling subsequent deployment of thetethering line and mooring weight or anchor so as to anchor a buoy to aparticular location. In some instances, multiple trips may be performedto pre-stage one or more components of the buoy on the surface of thewater before sinking the mooring weight and/or anchor.

In one aspect, a plurality of buoys is incrementally or sequentiallydeployed by propagating the deployment and/or remote assembly of asecond buoy from a first buoy, and so on. The process can be repeatedcontinuously until a network of buoys is deployed over a desiredgeographic region. Once a buoy is deployed and/or assembled, and becomesoperational, the buoy may become a launch point for deploying andassembling the next buoy at a further location. Once a network of buoysis deployed, with each buoy having a platform arranged to enable landingof one or more UAVs, and each buoy providing a power source to rechargeor refuel an UAV, the network of buoys may be configured to provide along range delivery bridge, enabling UAVs to extent their range multipletimes, enabling long range delivery of items over vast geographicdistances, via selected and possibly less obtrusive routes. A UAV mayinclude a drone and/or a quadcopter. In certain implementations, amooring and/or anchor chain is configured to be positively buoyant onthe surface while being negatively buoyant below or surface or on theseabed, but can be triggered to sink below the water surface with a verysmall weight and/or addition of weight.

In one aspect, a modular buoy deployment system includes a plurality ofmodules arranged to be assembled at a destination location where each ofthe plurality of modules is connectable to at least one other module ofthe plurality of modules. The plurality of modules form a buoy whenassembled. The system includes one or more assemblers arranged toposition a portion of the plurality of modules at the destinationlocation to form an assembled buoy. The system further includes adelivery apparatus arranged to deliver the plurality of buoy modules tothe destination location where the delivery of each of the plurality ofmodules conforms to a delivery criteria of the delivery apparatus.

In some implementations, the buoy includes a platform arranged toreceive one or more delivery apparatuses. The buoy may include a powersystem arranged to recharge the delivery apparatus. The deliveryapparatus may include at least one of an aerial delivery device, amarine delivery device, and a land-based delivery device. The deliverydevice may include at least one of an UAV, AUV, and USV. In someconfigurations, each of the plurality of modules is configured to detectat least one other module of the plurality of modules. Each of theplurality of modules may be configured to attach to the detected atleast one other module of the plurality of modules. In someimplementations, the delivery apparatus includes the one or moreassemblers and is configured to assemble a buoy autonomously. Theassembler may include an assembly robot.

In another aspect, a modular unmanned aerial vehicle terminal includes aplurality of modules that are assembled at a destination location whereeach of the plurality of modules is connected to at least one othermodule of the plurality of modules. Each of the plurality of modules maybe transportable by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The terminalincludes a platform having one or more of the plurality of modulesarranged to receive the UAV. The terminal also includes a power sourcehaving one or more of the plurality of modules arranged to charge abattery of the UAV.

In some implementations, each of the plurality of modules is configuredto detect at least one other module of the plurality of modules and eachof the plurality of modules is configured to attach to the detected atleast one other module of the plurality of modules. The terminal mayinclude an assembly system at the destination location configured toassemble the buoy autonomously. The assembly system may include anassembly robot. Each of the plurality of modules may be sized to enablethe UAV to carry each module. The power source may include a powergenerator and an energy store. The power source may include a liquid,power cell, or gas powered electrical generator. The energy store mayinclude at least one of a battery, fuel cell, liquid or gas storagetank. The terminal and/or buoy may include a fuel delivery interface todelivery fuel to a delivery device such as a UAV. The terminal may be atleast one of water-based and land-based.

In another aspect, a method for deploying a network of UAV terminalsincludes: a) assembling a first plurality of modules at a first locationto form a first UAV terminal where the first UAV terminal includes aplatform arranged to receive one or more UAVs; b). deploying a first UAVfrom the platform of the first UAV terminal to a second location remotefrom the first location where the first UAV delivers one or more UAVterminal modules to the second location; and c) assembling a secondplurality of modules at the second location to form a second UAVterminal where the second UAV terminal includes a platform arranged toreceive one or more UAVs. Steps a-c may be repeated until a network ofUAV terminals has been deployed across a geographic region where thesecond UAV terminal from a previous sequence of steps ac is designatedas the first UAV terminal for next sequence of steps a-c.

In yet another aspect, a mooring composed of connected floats andweights that are positively buoyant on the sea surface, are negativelybuoyant on the sea floor, and can be triggered to sink either adding aweight to one end or separating the end from something buoyant. In oneimplementation, a mooring system includes a plurality of connectedfloats and weights being positively buoyant on a water surface and beingnegatively buoyant at a depth below the water surface. The systemincludes a trigger mechanism arranged to reduce the buoyancy of aportion of the connected floats and weights from a being positivelybuoyant to negatively buoyant to cause the portion of the connectedfloats and weights to sink below the water surface. The buoyance of theportion of the connected floats and weights may be changed by eitheradding a weight to one end of the connected floats and weights orseparating the end from a buoyant element. The depth below the watersurface may include a depth at or about the sea floor or someintermediate depth between the water surface and water (or sea) floor.The trigger mechanism may include an assembler, assembly system, and/orrobot configured to either add a weight to the end of the connectedfloats and weights or remove a buoyant element from the end. In someimplementations, a buoy with or without its own propulsion system, USV,ASV (autonomous surface vehicle), and/or AUV (i.e., a marine device) isconfigured to deploy to a location on and/or below the ocean (or otherwater body) surface and use an included and/or embedded mooring system,as described herein, that deployed a mooring and/or anchor to holddevice in a particular location. The marine device may include one ormore of the components described with respect to FIG. 2 including a GPS,inertial, or other location system to determine the location fordeploying the mooring and/or anchor.

Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention willbecome apparent upon examining the following detailed description, takenin conjunction with the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The systems and methods described herein are set forth in the appendedclaims. However, for purpose of explanation, several illustrativeaspects are set forth in the following figures.

FIG. 1 is a diagram depicting an exemplary buoy including a platformenabling UAV landings.

FIG. 2 is block diagram of exemplary functional elements of a buoy forimplementing at least a portion of the systems and methods described inthe present disclosure.

FIG. 3 depicts a modular or sectional buoy according to aspect of thepresent disclosure.

FIGS. 4A, 4B, and 4C depict a sequence associated with deploying atethering line and mooring element.

FIG. 5 depicts a diagram showing an arrangement of deployed buoysaccording to aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 is an exemplary process according to a method of efficientlydeploying a buoy.

DESCRIPTION

To provide an overall understanding of the invention, certainillustrative aspects will now be described. However, it will beunderstood by one or ordinary skill in the art that the systems andmethods described herein can be adapted and modified for other suitableapplications and that such other additions and modifications will notdepart from the scope hereof

Systems and methods are described herein directed towards incrementallydeployable buoys and/or buoy networks.

FIG. 1 is a diagram 100 depicting an exemplary buoy 101 including aplatform 104 enabling UAV 114 landings. The buoy 101 may include ahousing 102, tethering line 108 and a mooring element 106. Oncedeployed, the mooring element 106 may rest on a sea floor 112. The buoy101 may be positioned (i.e., floating) with a water body 110, e.g., anocean. The platform 104 may be configured to support one or more UAVs114 and/or other aerial vehicles. As explained later herein, the buoy101 may include a power generator capable of recharging a UAV 114, viaan attachable/removable electrical/mechanical connection or viainductive wireless (proximity) charging. The UAVs 114 may be aquadcopter. The size, range, and lift capacity of the UAV 114 may vary.The size, range, and lift capacity may depend on the size of theplatform 104 and power delivery capacity of the buoy 101. In someimplementations, the buoy 101 may be untethered. In someimplementations, the buoy 101 may include a propulsion system. The buoy101 and/or buoy housing 102, along with various buoy components may beconfigured to be detachably connectable to enable delivery of sections,components, and/or modules to a destination location for assembly anddeployment of a buoy 101. In this way, one or more UAVs 114 may beconfigured to deliver relatively lighter weight sections (i.e., sectionswithin the lift/range tolerance of a UAV 114) for subsequent assembly asthe destination. The delivery of each of a plurality of modules mayconform to a delivery criteria of an aerial delivery apparatus. Forexample, certain modules may be delivered in a predetermined sequence.For example, a power generation module 206, a mooring module 202, anassembler 220, and/or a propulsion module 204 may be delivered first orearly in a sequence to enable the buoy 101 to maintain a more stableposition before other modules are delivered and assembled or combinedwith previously delivered modules. In a situation where an initialdetermination of environmental conditions has a higher priority, thesensor module 210 and/or communications module 208 may be deliveredfirst or early in the delivery sequence. Hence, a delivery criteriaincluding a sequence of delivery and/or assembly of buoy 101 modules maydepend on environmental conditions, tactical conditions, powerrequirements, payload carrying capabilities of UAVs, and so on. Theassembler may be detachable and re-connectable to a delivery device,such as a UAV. In some instances, a UAV may deploy an assembler at adestination location to enable assembly of modules, leave thedestination location to obtain additional modules, and

then return with additional modules. At some time after assembly of abuoy is completed, the assembler would be reconnected with the deliverydevice. In this way, the same assembler may be used to assemble multiplebuoys and/or terminals. Also, by detaching the assembler duringassembly, a delivery device may utilize less power while handlingdeliveries of other modules.

FIG. 2 is block diagram 200 of exemplary functional elements 202-218 ofa buoy 101 for implementing at least a portion of the systems andmethods described in the present disclosure. The buoy 101 may include amooring system 202 configured to enable mooring of the buoy to the seafloor 112 via a tethering line 108 and mooring element 106. The buoy 101may include propulsion element or system 204 configured to navigate thebuoy 101. The propulsion system 204 may at least provide sufficientpropulsion to counteract a current within the ocean. The propulsionsystem 204 may operate in response to a processor, GPS, and/or inertialnavigation system to maintain the buoy 101 in designated location. Thebuoy 101 may include a power generator 206. The power generator 206 mayinclude a solar panel, wind turbine, motion-based power generator,energy storage (one or more batteries, one or more fuel cells, liquidfuel), chemical reactor, and/or nuclear reactor, and so on. The powergenerator may include a charge and/or discharge controller (processor)to control energy storage and charging of, for example, batteries or tocontrol discharge of the batteries during charging of another devicesuch as a UAV 114.

The buoy 101 may include a communications system 208 to enable the buoy101 to send and receive data to one or more other buoys, ships,vehicles, underwater vehicles, servers, satellites, and/or land-basednetworks. The exemplary system 200 may includes a processor, a memory,and an interconnect bus. The processor may include a singlemicroprocessor or a plurality of microprocessors for configuringcomputer system as a multi-processor system. The memory illustrativelyincludes a main memory and a read-only memory. The system 200 may alsoinclude the mass storage device having, for example, various diskdrives, tape drives, etc. The main memory also includes dynamic randomaccess memory (DRAM) and high-speed cache memory. In operation and use,the main memory stores at least portions of instructions for executionby the processor when processing data (e.g., model of the terrain)stored in main memory.

In some aspects, the system 200 may also include one or moreinput/output interfaces for communications, shown by way of example, asan interface for data communications via data communications system 208.The data interface may be a modem, an Ethernet card or any othersuitable data communications device. The data interface may provide arelatively high-speed link to a network, such as an intranet, internet,or the Internet, either directly or through another external interface.The communication link to the network may be, for example, any suitablelink such as an optical, acoustic, and/or wireless (e.g., via satellite,Microwave, or 802.11 Wi-Fi or cellular network) link. In some aspects,communications may occur over an acoustic modem. For instance, forcommunication with AUVs or other underwater vehicles, communications mayoccur over such a modem. Alternatively, the system 200 may include amainframe or other type of host computer system capable of web-basedcommunications via the network. In some aspects, the system 200 alsoincludes suitable input/output ports via system 208 or may use anInterconnect Bus for interconnection with a local display and userinterface (e.g., keyboard, mouse, touchscreen) or the like serving as alocal user interface for programming and/or data entry, retrieval, ormanipulation purposes. Alternatively, server operations personnelremotely may interact with the system 200 for controlling and/orprogramming the system from remote operations (not shown in the Figure)via the network.

In some aspects, the system 200 includes a processor, such as anavigational controller, sonar controller, radar control, datacollection controller, and/or fire controller. Data corresponding tosensors may be stored in the memory or mass storage, and may beretrieved by the processor. The processor may execute instructionsstored in these memory devices to perform any of the methods describedin this application, e.g., data analysis, fire control, salinityanalysis, wave monitoring, and so on.

The system may include a display for displaying information, a memory(e.g., ROM, RAM, flash, etc.) for storing at least a portion of theaforementioned data, and a mass storage device (e.g., solid-state drive)for storing at least a portion of the aforementioned data. Any set ofthe aforementioned components may be coupled to a network via aninput/output (I/O) interface. Each of the aforementioned components maycommunicate via an interconnect bus.

The system 200 may include one or more sensors 210 configured to performany number of operations. For instance sensors 210 may include activeand/or passive radar, active and/or passive sonar, optical sensors,radio signal antenna and/or interceptors, chemical sensors (detect watercomposition), environment sensors, atmospheric sensors, inertialsensors, heat sensors, motion sensors, radiation sensors, and so on. Thesystem 200 may include a countermeasures system 212. The countermeasuressystem 212 may be configured to provide anti-personnel, anti-ship,anti-submarine, and anti-aircraft functions. The countermeasures system212 may include a processor (as discussed above) arranged to control afire arm to protect the buoy 101 from interference by a diver or otherpersons. The system 212 may utilize one of more sensors to detect thepresence of persons within proximity to the buoy 101 and, in response,engage the firearm and/or fire control system if necessary. The system212 may include a fire control function to deploy a torpedo or rocketagainst a detected threat such as a surface or underwater vessel. Thesystem 212 may deploy a rocket, laser, or other projectile against anaerial vehicle detected as a threat. The system 212 may providedetection information to system 208 to enable the buoy 101 tocommunication a warning of a detected threat as a possible early warningsystem. The system 212 may include a minigun or a quadcopter with aClaymore mine for pirate neutralization. The system 212 may include avehicle tether system to enable the buoy 101 to tether with anothervehicle such as a boat, ship, AUV, and/or UAV. For example, the platform104 is a type of tethering feature by enabling an UAV to land on thebuoy 101. The platform 104 may include an electrical/mechanicalconnection to hold a UAV in place after landing, which may beadvantageous in rough seas. An UAV may exchange data with a buoy 101 viaa wireless data connection such as 802.11 or Bluetooth once in proximitywith the buoy 101. A UAV may utilize other types of wireless and/or RFcommunications to communicate with a buoy 101.

The system 200 may include payload storage 218. The payload storage 218may store items such as modules for other buoys 101, items for deliveryto other destinations, test equipment for deployment by the buoy, orordinance (explosives). In some implementations, the buoy may functionas an anti-ship or anti-submarine mine in which case the payload storage218 may storage an explosive charge. The buoy 101 may be configured tosubmerge to a designated depth to perform certain tests or to functionas an anti-ship or anti-submarine mine. The buoy 101 may be configuredto surface in response to a received instruction or periodically.

In some implementations, the system 200 includes an assembler 220. Theassembler 220 may be a distributed assembler enabling sections, modules,or components of the system 200 (e.g., buoy 101) to self-assemble intobuoy 101. For example, a first module may include a first assemblerelement that detects a second module including a second assemblerelement. The first and second assembler elements may each include amobility unit and attachment unit to enable the first and second unitsto physically connect with each other. The assembler 220 may include arobot configured to connect various sections of buoy 101. In such aconfiguration, the assembler 220 may include one or more robotic arms toenable the assembler 220 to connect at least two modules together.

FIG. 3 depicts a modular or sectional buoy 300 according to aspect ofthe present disclosure. Each module may be delivered incrementally adestination and sequentially assembled. For example, a base element ofhousing 102 (e.g. 102 d of FIG. 3 ) may be delivered first by a firstUAV 114. Then, a second portion of housing 102 (e.g., 102 c) may bedelivered to the destination. In one configuration, housing module 102 dincludes a sensor (proximity and/or contact) that detects the presenceof module 102 c. The housing module 102 d may include an assembler 220,connected to the housing module 102 d that engages the module 102 c withthe module 102 d. Module 102 c may, in turn, include an assembler 220engagement mechanism that engages module 102 b with module 102 c whendetected. The process continues until all modules and/or sections ofbuoy 300 are assembled.

Alternatively, assembler 220 may be included as part of an assemblervehicle. The assembler vehicle may be deployed to a destinationlocation. Once at the location, one or UAVs 114 delivery the modules forbuoy 300. The assembler may include a platform or storage container toprotect the modules during assembly of the buoy 300. This approach maybe advantageous in rough seas. Once assembly is complete, the assemblervehicle launches the buoy at the destination and then moves to the nextdestination location. Another advantage of this technique is that theassembler vehicle saved power (and can be deployed longer) because it isrequired to transport buoy components to destinations. In addition tohousing components, one or more UAVs may delivery modules 302 includingfunctional elements 202-220. A tethering line 108 may also be deliveredin sections 108 a, 108 b, and 108 c, and be assembled by an assembler220 and/or one more UAVs 114.

FIGS. 4A, 4B, and 4C depict a sequence associated with deploying atethering line 108 and mooring element 408. FIG. 4A illustrates aninitial deployment of a tethering line 108 including buoyancy elements402, 404, and 406. The buoyancy elements may include an element thatinitially is positively buoyant, but under certain conditions, becomesnegatively buoyant. In FIG. 4A, the buoyancy elements are positivelybuoyant and, thereby, float on the surface of a body of water. Thebuoyancy elements 402, 404, and 406 may include a bladder. In someinstances, an UAV 114 may delivery one or more sections of a tetheringline 108 to a buoy 101, which may be connected at the surface of thewater by an assembler 220 and/or UAV 114. In some implementations, abladder is less than or equal to about 0.5 Kg, 1 Kg, 1.5 Kg, 2 Kg, 5 Kg,and 10 Kg.

FIG. 4B illustrates how the tethering line 108 submersion process 400 isinitiated by connecting a mooring element 106 and/or 408. The mooringelement may include a metal and/or a material having a density greaterthan the surround water. The mooring element 106 and/or 408 may be lessthan or equal to about 0.5 Kg, 1 Kg, 1.5 Kg, 2 Kg, 5 Kg, 10 Kg, 50 Kg,100 Kg, and 1000 Kg. For example, after the tethering line 108 isassembled on the surface, a 1 Kg mooring element 408 may be attached tothe free end of the tethering line adjacent to buoyance element 406. Asillustrated in FIG. 4B, the weight of the mooring element 408 pulls thetethering line 108 downward towards to bottom of the ocean. This actioncauses the buoyancy element 406 to sink downward, increasing thesurrounding pressure on the buoyancy element 406 to, thereby, cause thebladder to collapse and its density to increase to a state of negativebuoyancy. This creates a chain reaction of negative buoyance as eachbuoyancy element along the tethering line 108 is pulled downward andbecomes negatively buoyant. FIG. 4C illustrates the resulting position406 of the mooring element 408 and tethering line 108 after all of thebuoyancy elements 402, 404, 406, 410, and 412 become negatively buoyantand sink. Hence, an initially buoyant and relative light weighttethering line 108 during delivery via one or more UAVs 114 isconfigured to be deployed submersibly and function as a mooring systemfor a buoy.

FIG. 5 depicts a diagram 500 showing an arrangement of deployed buoys101 according to aspects of the present disclosure. FIG. 5 illustratesdeployment of a network of buoys 504-520 from a ship 502. However,deployment may be initiated from land, ships, aerial vehicles,submarines, and/or a combination of sources. The arrows 524-546illustrate possible deployment flights paths of UAVs 114 to destinationswhere buoys 504-520 may be located. However, the illustrated path may betravelled by UAVs 114 in either direction. FIG. 5 also illustrates howbuoys can propagate from a source 502 to a first buoy 504 and thencontinue to propagate (be deployed incrementally) in multiple directionincluding to buoy 520. Such a propagation may enable deployment of amine field in a geographic region, a submarine acoustic sensor array, anaerial defense (radar) array, a delivery bridge of items from onelocation to another, deployment of a cellular telephone network (whereeach buoy include a base station transceiver) over a body of water, andso on. Such a propagation process may be implemented in otherenvironments such as in space and/or to deploy a terminal network on thesurface of a planet, e.g., Mars or other body with non-water liquidbodies (e.g. the methane lakes of Titan).

In some implementations, the network of buoys 504-520 function as atransportation bridge of payloads from, for example, ship 502 to buoy520. Each buoy may be configured to support landing and/or housing oftwo or more UAVs 114. Thus, a first UAV 114 may delivery a payload(e.g., module, package, or other item) from ship 502 to buoy 504. Thepayload may be transferred from the first UAV 114 to a second UAV 114parked on the platform 104 where the second UAV 114 has been fullycharged with power by buoy 504. The first UAV 114 may link with a powersource of buoy 504 to recharge or refuel in anticipation of being usedlater. The second UAV 114 may then transport the payload from buoy 504to buoy 506. The payload may then be transferred to a third UAV 114 thathas been charged or refueled at buoy 506. The third UAV may thentransport the payload to buoy 512, while the second UAV 114 is rechargedor refueled at buoy 506. Such a process will continue until the payloadis delivered to buoy 520 or another destination. Hence, by supportingtwo or more UAVs 114 concurrently, the buoy network is able to provide arelay system of UAVs 114 to more efficiently delivery a payload to anygeographic location within the network (whether at a buoy or at anotherlocation with range of the buoy network). In some implementations, a UAV(or other delivery device) may recharge and/or refuel at a buoy andwithout transferring its payload to another UAB. This wouldadvantageously simply the delivery process of items along the networkfrom a source to a destination location.

FIG. 6 is an exemplary process 600 for efficiently deploying a buoy 300.Process 600 begins by delivering a base module to a destination location(Step 602). For example, a base element of housing 102 (e.g. 102 d ofFIG. 3 ) may be delivered first by a first UAV 114.

Process 600 continues by delivering a secondary module to thedestination location (Step 604). For example, a second portion ofhousing 102 (e.g., 102 c) may be delivered to the destination.

Process 600 continues by assembling the buoy 300 (Step 606). Forexample, housing module 102 d may include a sensor (proximity and/orcontact) that detects the presence of module 102 c. The housing module102 d may include an assembler 220, connected to the housing module 102d that engages the module 102 c with the module 102 d. Module 102 c may,in turn, include an assembler 220 engagement mechanism that engagesmodule 102 b with module 102 c when detected.

Process 600 continues by determining whether additional secondarymodules are ready to be delivered (Step 608). For example, a thirdportion (e.g., 102 b of FIG. 3 ) and a fourth portion (e.g., 102 a ofFIG. 3 ) may be ready to be delivered to the destination location. Ifadditional secondary modules are waiting to be delivered, process 600continues at Step 604. Otherwise, buoy 300 is completely assembled andprocess 600 ends (Step 610).

While the examples herein describe systems and methods in relation tobuoys and buoy networks, the techniques described herein may be appliedto equally land or space based transport networks, including UAVterminal networks over land, operating with or without a buoy network.For example, a land-based UAV terminal network may be deployed betweenAnchorage, Ak. and Eagle, Ak. (a remote town). The network of UAVterminals may enable efficient delivery of payloads (e.g., U.S. mail) toand from Eagle, Ak. while minimizing the risk of manned flights. Asanother example, a buoy network may enable delivery and return ofpayloads between Fort Randall, Ak. and Attu, Ak. on Attu Island in theBering Sea.

It will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that methodsinvolved in the systems and methods of the invention may be embodied ina computer program product that includes a non-transitory computerusable and/or readable medium. For example, such a computer usablemedium may consist of a read only memory device, such as a CD ROM disk,conventional ROM devices, or a random access memory, a hard drive deviceor a computer diskette, a flash memory, a DVD, or any like digitalmemory medium, having a computer readable program code stored thereon.

Optionally, the system may include an inertial navigation system, aDoppler sensor, an altimeter, a gimbling system to fixate the sensor ona populated portion of a holographic map, a global positioning system(GPS), a long baseline (LBL) navigation system, an ultrashort baseline(USBL) navigation, or any other suitable navigation system.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that such aspects areprovided by way of example only. It should be understood that numerousvariations, alternatives, changes, and substitutions may be employed bythose skilled in the art in practicing the invention.

Accordingly, it will be understood that the invention is not to belimited to the aspects disclosed herein, but is to be understood fromthe following claims, which are to be interpreted as broadly as allowedunder the law.

What is claimed is:
 1. A mooring system comprising: a plurality ofconnected buoyancy elements being positively buoyant on a water surfaceand being negatively buoyant at a depth below the water surface; and atrigger mechanism arranged to reduce the buoyancy of a portion of thebuoyancy elements from being positively buoyant to negatively buoyant tocause the portion of the connected buoyancy elements to sink below thewater surface, wherein the trigger mechanism changes the buoyance of theportion of the connected buoyancy elements by either adding or removinga mooring element to an end of the connected buoyancy elements; whereinthe plurality of connected buoyancy elements are connected via atethering line; and wherein the trigger mechanism includes the mooringelement when the mooring element is attached to a free end of thetethering line adjacent to one of the plurality of connected buoyanceelements.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of plurality ofconnected buoyancy elements includes a bladder.
 3. The system of claim2, wherein a bladder is less than or equal to about 0.5 Kg, 1 Kg, 1.5Kg, 2 Kg, 5 Kg, and 10 Kg.
 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the mooringelement includes a material having a density greater than a surroundingwater body.
 5. The system of claim 4, wherein the mooring element isless than or equal to about 0.5 Kg, 1 Kg, 1.5 Kg, 2 Kg, 5 Kg, 10 Kg, 50Kg, 100 Kg, and 1000 Kg.
 6. The system of claim 1, wherein a weight ofthe mooring element, when attached to the adjacent buoyancy element,pulls the tethering line downward towards the bottom of a surroundingwater body, causing the adjacent buoyancy element to sink downward,increasing the surrounding pressure on the adjacent buoyancy element,and causing a bladder of the adjacent buoyancy element to collapse inresponse to the surrounding pressure and increase the adjacent buoyancyelement's density and, thereby, change a state of the adjacent buoyancyelement from a state of positive buoyancy to a state of negativebuoyancy.
 7. The system of claim 6, wherein the trigger mechanismcreates a chain reaction of negative buoyance as each buoyancy elementof the plurality of connected buoyancy elements along the tethering lineis pulled downward and becomes negatively buoyant.
 8. A mooring systemcomprising: a plurality of connected buoyancy elements being positivelybuoyant on a water surface and being negatively buoyant at a depth belowthe water surface; and a trigger mechanism arranged to reduce thebuoyancy of a portion of the buoyancy elements from being positivelybuoyant to negatively buoyant to cause the portion of the connectedbuoyancy elements to sink below the water surface, wherein the triggermechanism changes the buoyance of the portion of the connected buoyancyelements by either adding or removing a mooring element to an end of theconnected buoyancy elements; wherein a weight of least one of theplurality of connected buoyancy elements and a tethering line, whilebeing in a state of positive buoyancy, are sufficiently light to enabledelivery via one or more UAVs.
 9. A method for deploying a mooringsystem comprising: delivering a plurality of connected buoyancy elementsto a body of water, the plurality of connected buoyancy elements beingpositively buoyant on a surface of the body of water and beingnegatively buoyant at a depth below the surface; connecting theplurality of connected buoyancy elements via a tethering line;activating a trigger mechanism arranged to reduce the buoyancy of aportion of the buoyancy elements from a being positively buoyant tonegatively buoyant to cause the portion of the connected buoyancyelements to sink below the water surface, wherein the trigger mechanismchanges the buoyance of the portion of the connected buoyancy elementsby either adding or removing a mooring element to an end of theconnected buoyancy elements; and activating the trigger mechanism byattaching the mooring element to a free end of the tethering lineadjacent to one of the plurality of connected buoyance elements.
 10. Themethod of claim 9, wherein at least one of plurality of connectedbuoyancy elements includes a bladder.
 11. The method of claim 10,wherein a bladder is less than or equal to about 0.5 Kg, 1 Kg, 1.5 Kg, 2Kg, 5 Kg, and 10 Kg.
 12. The method of claim 9, wherein the mooringelement includes a material having a density greater than a surroundingwater body.
 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the mooring element isless than or equal to about 0.5 Kg, 1 Kg, 1.5 Kg, 2 Kg, 5 Kg, 10 Kg, 50Kg, 100 Kg, and 1000 Kg.
 14. The method of claim 9 comprising: adding aweight of the mooring element to the adjacent buoyancy element to pullthe tethering line downward towards the bottom of the surrounding waterbody, causing the adjacent buoyancy element to sink downward, increasingthe surrounding pressure on the adjacent buoyancy element as thebuoyancy element sinks downward, and causing a bladder of the adjacentbuoyancy element to collapse in response to the surrounding pressure toincrease the adjacent buoyancy element's density and, thereby, change astate of the adjacent buoyancy element from a state of positive buoyancyto a state of negative buoyancy.
 15. The method of claim 14 comprisingcreating a chain reaction of negative buoyance as each buoyancy elementof the plurality of connected buoyancy elements along the tethering lineis pulled downward and becomes negatively buoyant.
 16. A method fordeploying a mooring system comprising: delivering a plurality ofconnected buoyancy elements to a body of water, the plurality ofconnected buoyancy elements being positively buoyant on a surface of thebody of water and being negatively buoyant at a depth below the surface;and activating a trigger mechanism arranged to reduce the buoyancy of aportion of the buoyancy elements from a being positively buoyant tonegatively buoyant to cause the portion of the connected buoyancyelements to sink below the water surface, wherein the trigger mechanismchanges the buoyance of the portion of the connected buoyancy elementsby either adding or removing a mooring element to an end of theconnected buoyancy elements; wherein a weight of least one of theplurality of connected buoyancy elements and a tethering line, whilebeing in a state of positive buoyancy, are sufficiently light to enabledelivery via one or more UAVs.